Egypt's skyscraper aims for hydrogen-powered green future

CNN emphasises that Egypt's ambitious New Administrative Capital is rapidly taking shape, with the latest development being the Forbes International Tower.

Egypt’s ambitious “New Administrative Capital,” a burgeoning city being developed beyond Cairo, is sparking innovative ideas. Among the most forward-thinking is the plan to power a skyscraper entirely with hydrogen.   The Forbes International Tower, a planned 240-meter (787 feet) office building set to rise near the Iconic Tower—Africa’s tallest skyscraper—was designed from the ground up with sustainability in mind. Created by Gordon Gill of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, known for Central Park Tower in New York and the forthcoming Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, this project by developer Magnom Properties aims for a net-zero carbon footprint.

The 43-story office tower will be powered by 75 per cent hydrogen and 25 per cent solar energy, eliminating reliance on traditional power grids. Magnom Properties also plans to use materials with “low-embodied carbon,” potentially reducing the building's overall carbon emissions by 58 per cent through careful selection, production, and disposal. On-site water recycling and treatment will further address water scarcity concerns in the region. Magnom Properties aims to realize a “net-negative carbon vision” for the Forbes International Tower, meaning the building will remove more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits throughout its lifecycle. They also aspire to make this skyscraper the first in the world to receive a Zero Carbon Certificate from the International Living Future Institute.   This project represents the latest advancement in net-zero architecture, following notable examples such as Foster + Partners' Z6 tower in Beijing, which achieves net-zero operational emissions, and the forthcoming Curzon Wharf in Birmingham, England, which includes a 565-foot tower as part of a large-scale, net-zero carbon mixed-use development.  

The use of hydrogen for reducing building emissions is a groundbreaking approach. While hydrogen holds promise as a clean and renewable energy source—provided it is produced through sustainable methods—it remains underutilized at this scale in both architecture and private industry. Hydrogen has garnered significant interest from governments, including the Biden administration, which has praised it as the “Swiss army knife of zero-carbon technologies” in 2023. 

However, there are concerns about the speed at which hydrogen production can be scaled up to replace fossil fuels. Magnom Properties has entered into a partnership with Schneider Electric and H2 Enterprises to investigate the potential of using LOHC technology to power the Forbes International Tower. LOHC, or liquid organic hydrogen carriers, are compounds that can absorb or release hydrogen through chemical reactions. This technology allows for the storage and transportation of hydrogen in a stable liquid form, which can then be extracted and used in fuel cells to generate electricity. The advantage of LOHC is that it can utilize existing fossil fuel infrastructure for transport, adapting it for hydrogen use.   The agreement between the companies will evaluate the “design, spatial requirements, and economic feasibility” of employing clean hydrogen for the skyscraper’s energy needs. This means that while hydrogen is a candidate for powering the building, its use is not yet confirmed.